Mama's Boy In Manhattan
by Extra-Flamey
Summary: Proper Joseph Dawson has been shielded by his mother his whole life in Canada. Can the Newsies help him over come that and see reality? r/r please. be nice this is my first Newsies fic.


Mama's Boy in Manhattan  
  
Joseph Dawson walked down the streets of Manhattan completely confused. He had left his family in Canada to come to America. He had left with lots of dreams of what America would be like. His father was here and had always written him letters about how wonderful it was. But all Joseph could see was a bunch of starving, dirty people. He stepped to the side and reached into his pocket for his fathers letters. He saw that it came from Santa Fe but he had no idea where that was. He thought about asking someone but none of the people looked too friendly. He stepped back out into the bustling streets and was promptly ran into by a small boy. "scuse me, sir" the boy said and then began running again. Joseph stared at the boy as he ran off. a second later police officer almost ran him over too. "excuse me mistah" The officer said in a gruff voice. "oh, um hello. I'm Joseph Dawson." Joseph said "Do you know how to get to Santa Fe?" The officer continued his pursuit with out even acknowledging him. Joseph tried to ask a few more people but he either was ignored or yelled at in some foreign language. Exasperated he walked towards Central Park. He sat down on a bench and scanned the area. He decided that New York wasn't such a bad place to be. The people weren't that friendly but it was a nice environ ment.  
  
Counting out his money he decided he'd better find a place to stay. Joseph sighed and got to his feet. having no idea where any hotels were was bad, especially when he didn't know if asking somebody would help. Wandering around he saw the boy that ran into him before. The boy was hiding behind a tree. Joseph approached him. "Excuse me, Do you know where I could find a hotel?" the boy spun around, looking frightened, "i'se don't really know places ta stay round heah" he said his accent thick. "but theres a place down by da docks. its a boardin house. Real cheap too. jus go 3 blocks past da park." Joseph smiled "thank you young man" he said. Maybe not all people in New York were bad.  
  
Suddenly he heard a yell. he turned to see 2 police officers fighting with the boy. The biy tried to escape but the officers picked him up. Joseph briskly walked back. "Excuse me sirs, WHta are you doing?" teh taller officer answered " This boy just stole some fruit from a vendor. In this country we arrest criminals he added snidely.. "And when did he allegedly steal this fruit" Joseph demanded. "right before we caught him" The officer said. "Impossible" Joseph glared at the officer "he was with me before you caught him. You obviously have the wrong person. I hear that happens alot in this country." Staring the officer right in the eye Joseph took the boy's hand and pulled him away from them. "good day" he called walking away with the now smiling boy.  
  
"thanks mister" The boy said. he turned to walk away. "do you want me to walk you home" Joseph asked "the officers may come back and these streets are dangerous for a little boy. I'm Joseph, by the way"  
  
The boy considered it and decided that not getting arrested was better than coming home with a stranger. "I'm Les" he said spiiting in his hand and holding it out. After considering it for a moment Joseph spit in his own hand and they shook.  
  
Joseph and Les started their walk towards Duane Street. Joseph smiled at the thought of telling his mother how he spent his first day in America. His mother was very uptight and barely approved of him even being there. He would leave out the parts about talking back to a police officer and swapping spit . "So Les, do you mind if I ask how old you are?" He enquired. "Im 7" Les stated proudly. "'Really?" Joseph asked "I'd of thought you were at least 10. Guess i was wrong" He glanced sideways at Les and saw the slightly guilty look on the kids face and decided to drop the subject. "Well I'm 21 and I'm here to find my father but I don't plan on doing that tonight so i had better being going to that boarding house now. Can you make it home from here?  
  
"Yep right dere" Les said pointing to a tall old building. Joseph read the sign . "You live in a lodging house?" "I don't live dere. I meet my brudder Davey dere. Hes oldah. well bye now." Les ran across the street. Joseph watched until Les entered the lodging house then he turned to go to his boarding house.  
  
The next day Joseph walked back to the lodging house on Duane Street. He planned to ask Les about finding a job somewhere. He entered the lodging house and found an older man sitting behind a desk. The man looked up. "Can I help you?" "I'm looking for a little boy named Les. I know he doesn't live here but he said he was meeting his brother here so i thought he may be hanging around here today" He took a deep breath after his monologue and looked towards the man. "Les is upstairs talking to Jack. I'll get him for ya" "Thank you" said Joseph. The man turned and ascended the stairs. A few minutes later Les came down, followed by an older boy with curly hair. "Joseph" Les exclaimed "Hi, um, this is my brudder Davey. hes oldah." "Davey stepped forward. "hi, thanks for my helping my brother. Can I ask what you're doing here?"  
  
"I came to New York to find my father and i'm staying in the hotel by the docks but I don't have enough money to cover more than a few nights. So I was going to ask Les if he knew a place where I could get a job." "You could be a newsie" Les practically shouted. "Whats a newsie" questioned Joseph. "we sell papes" Davey answered "but I don't think it would be a good job for you. You're a little too old and it doesn't make much money. Certainly not enough for a hotel. I'm not sure what you could do. Let me talk to jack." He disappeared up the stairs.  
  
"Who's jack" Joseph asked, bending down to whisper in Les's ear. "He's da leadah of da Manhattan Newsies and a really great guy. Jack can find you a job."  
  
"Hey les, Bring Joseph here" Davey yelled down the stairs. "Come on" Les siad excitedly pulling Joseph along. After being dragged up the stairs and down a hall Joseph found himself in a room filled with kids of all different ages. He was approached by a boy with shaggy blonde hair and a red bandana. "i'se jack. Leadah of the Manhattan newsies" He spit in his hand and held out. At first Joseph was reluctant but Les nudged him and gave him a look so he returned the spit shake. "I'm Joseph Dawson. I was hoping you could assist me in finding a job"  
  
"What do you do?" Jack inquired. Joseph was unsure. He'd never had a real job. He'd been paid to do odd jobs around his town but nothing official or long term. "Well, I've never really had a job. I wrote for a newspaper once but I didn't get paid for it." "Well if ya write good maybe Denton could make ya a reportah" Jack thought for a minute. "dats about all the decent jobs ya can get right now. 'cept playin piano at Medda's" "oh I play Piano. I've had lessons all my life. Mother thought it would be an important skill." Jack just kinda nodded. He noticed some of the boys snickering at how Joseph talked about his mother. "well good den, Medda's don't open for anodder hour so you can stay around here and play poker or something. Ya wanna meet everybody?" "of course" Joseph answered happily "i love children"  
  
"Won't find many children here. and we'se not the type to play wid you either" came a cocky voice from across the room. Jack, Davey, Les and Joseph all looked to see who it was. The tall girl sauntereed over to Joseph. "We're not kids. We'se probably more adult that you, after all we don't hang wit our mommies." Joseph stared at her for a second then extended his hand. "I'm Joseph Dawson. a friend of Les's. Who are you?" "Gypsy" she simply stated then turned on her heel and walked out of the room. The room was silent. Jokingly, Joseph said "Maybe I shouldn't make her mad, she might do a curse on me" He laughed until he realized he was the only one laughing. "Moving on now" Jack said he turned and called the other newsies around him. "This is my girl Sparkles" he said proudly, taking the hand of a small blonde. "What kind of a name is Sparkles?" Joseph asked, sounding a little cocky. Sparkles looked hurt and Jack looked mad. Thinking quickly Joseph recovered "Its a nickname right? I thought you meant it was her real name. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Its just out of the norm, shall we say" Nobody said anything yet so Jack continued the introductions after giving Joseph a scowl. "That's Bumlets and his girl Holiday, Mush and his little Sun Dreamer, then there is Megalo, Martini, Luna, Busy, Race, Bon Bon, Cue, Itey, Snitch, Snoddy, Jake and this is Les's brothers Davey." As he went around each person or couple either gave a smile and a wave or scowl and a Look. "wow" Joseph commented "Thats alot of Newsies" "Theres still more" Race piped up "Feisty and Bittah are in da Refuge, Blink's in his room wid his girl Gav-" "Chattah"Mush cut in "no, hes in dere wid Gav" Race insisted. "He told me Chattah" Mush insisted back.  
  
"Gav"  
  
"Chattah"  
  
"Gav"  
  
"Chattah"  
  
"Whatever" Sparkles butted in. " He has a girl or possibly 2 in his room wid him. Don't mattah who.Just drop it" "ok" both boys agreed, secretly hitting each other and vowing to find out the truth later.  
  
"Lets go ta Medda's now" Jack offered hoping to avoid any future fights. Jack, Les, Davey and Joseph said goodbye. On there way, Gypsy appeared at the top of the stairs. 'Hey mama's boy. Welcome to Manhattan" she added with a smirk. 


End file.
